Former Deputy Leader of the United National Party and Member of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake has sharply criticized the government’s procurement process, highlighting severe delays in the delivery of essential medicines despite substantial budget allocations.
Speaking in Parliament, Karunanayake pointed out that although Rs. 155 million has been allocated for medical supplies this year, the inefficiency of the system is evident. “It takes approximately 189 days to bring a single Panadol tablet under the current Procurement Committee mechanism,” he remarked.
The MP further revealed that if a vendor is rejected during the procurement process, it can take up to three years to resolve the matter through the courts.
He stressed that despite repeated statements by the Minister in charge about funding availability, the actual execution remains deeply flawed due to delays and inefficiencies within the Procurement Committee.
